‘Two People Passed Away In Front Of Me’: Survivor Recalls To CBS4

PARKLAND (CBSMiami) – “Two people actually did pass away in my class right in front of me.” Those are the chilling words of 17-year-old Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School junior Jonathan Blank who recalled the horrific day 17 people were shot and killed at his school in Parkland.

Jonathan Blank is a junior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who survived the mass shooting on Feb. 14. 2018. (CBS4)

Jonathan was on the first floor of the freshman building in a Holocaust Studies class when the bullets started to fly.

“I actually did not hear the alarm; I just heard gunshots go off. Many shots went off and then right away I tried to take cover, I jumped under a table and hid with two other girls under the desk,” recalled Jonathan.

He explained many bullets were fired in his classroom.

“I believe 4 people were shot in my class. Two people actually did pass away in my class right in front of me,” he said.

“I was in complete shock. I had no idea what was going on. It just happened way too quickly,” he said.

How is Jonathan coping now?

“I went to different grieving counselors who help you talk about everything and just let it out. It’s never bad to talk about what’s going on in your life, what’s going on. It’s horrible what happened and if you ever need someone, just go and talk to them,” he advised.

He said it is important to be with family and friends right now.

“I’m with my family and friends. I tell them that I love them all of the time. You just don’t know when your last time with them is.”

His final thoughts?

“It was the scariest moment of my life. I’ve never experienced anything like that before and no one should ever have to be put through what I saw and others saw at Stoneman Douglas.”